How to Take a Screenshot on Windows and Mac

In short

A screenshot is a picture of what’s on your screen. It’s the easiest way to show someone an error message, save a receipt or keep directions. This tutorial teaches you how to take a screenshot of the whole screen, one window or just an area on Windows and Mac, where the picture is saved, and how to mark it up before sharing. Learn one shortcut for each system and you’ll use it for years.

Before you start

Find these keys on your keyboard:

• Windows: the Windows logo key (between Ctrl and Alt at the bottom left), Shift, and Print Screen (often labeled PrtSc, PrtScn or similar, along the top row). On some laptops Print Screen shares a key with another function and needs the Fn key too.
• Mac: Shift and Command (⌘), plus the number keys 3, 4 and 5 on the top row.

Screenshots capture exactly what’s visible, including personal information such as names, email addresses or account numbers. Check the picture before you share it, and crop or cover anything private.

Key terms

• Screenshot (screen capture): an image file of your screen or part of it.
• Snipping Tool: the Windows app for taking and editing screenshots.
• Clipboard: temporary storage for whatever you last copied; you can paste a screenshot from it into an email or document.
• Crop: cut away the parts of an image you don’t need.
• Markup / annotate: draw, highlight or add text on a screenshot.

Lesson 1: screenshots on Windows

1. Capture an area, window or the full screen: press Windows logo key + Shift + S. The screen dims and a small toolbar appears at the top. Choose rectangle, window, full screen or freeform, then drag or click to capture.
2. A notification appears. Select it to open the screenshot in Snipping Tool, where you can draw, highlight, crop and save it with the save icon.
3. Capture the full screen and save it automatically: press Windows logo key + Print Screen. The screen briefly dims, and the image is saved in Pictures > Screenshots.
4. Use the Print Screen key alone: in recent Windows 11 versions, this opens the same capture toolbar as step 1 by default. In Windows 10 and some setups, it copies the whole screen to the clipboard; paste it with Ctrl + V into an email, document or Paint.

Checkpoint: open File Explorer, go to Pictures > Screenshots and find your full-screen capture. Captures taken with the toolbar are copied to the clipboard and, in Windows 11, usually also saved to that folder automatically.

You can change what the Print Screen key does in Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard.

Lesson 2: screenshots on a Mac

1. Full screen: press Shift + Command + 3.
2. Part of the screen: press Shift + Command + 4, then drag over the area you want. Release to capture. Press Esc to cancel.
3. One window: press Shift + Command + 4, then press the Space bar. The pointer becomes a camera; click the window.
4. Toolbar with more options: press Shift + Command + 5 to choose full screen, window or selection, set a timer, choose where to save, or record the screen.
5. A thumbnail appears briefly in the corner. Click it to mark up, crop or share the screenshot straight away, or leave it to save.

Checkpoint: by default, Mac screenshots are saved on the desktop with a name that starts with “Screenshot” and includes the date and time.

Lesson 3: share and organize screenshots

1. Paste directly: in many apps, including email and chat, press Ctrl + V (Windows) or Command + V (Mac) right after taking a clipboard screenshot.
2. Attach the saved file: use the attach or paperclip button and browse to Pictures > Screenshots (Windows) or the desktop (Mac).
3. Rename important screenshots so you can find them later, for example “Train ticket confirmation”. Our files and folders tutorial explains renaming and folders.
4. Delete old screenshots regularly; they pile up quickly.
5. Turn a screenshot into a PDF when a form or website wants a document rather than an image; see PDFs and file formats.

Check that it worked

Take one screenshot of an area and one of the full screen. Find both files, open one, and paste the other into a new email to yourself. If you can do that, you’ve mastered how to take a screenshot on your computer.

If something goes wrong

• Nothing happens when you press Print Screen: try Fn + Print Screen on a laptop, or use Windows logo key + Shift + S instead.
• You can’t find the screenshot: on Windows, check Pictures > Screenshots, or paste from the clipboard. On a Mac, check the desktop, or open the Shift + Command + 5 toolbar’s Options to see the save location.
• The screenshot is black: some video apps and protected content block screenshots on purpose.
• The notification disappeared before you could edit: open the Snipping Tool app from Start; recent captures are often listed there.
• The capture includes too much: crop it in Snipping Tool or the Mac markup tools before sharing.

FAQ

How do I screenshot just one window?

On Windows, press Windows logo key + Shift + S and choose the window option. On a Mac, press Shift + Command + 4, then the Space bar, and click the window.

Can I record a video of my screen?

Yes. On a Mac, Shift + Command + 5 includes screen recording. On Windows 11, Snipping Tool can record the screen in recent versions. Respect other people’s privacy and copyrights when recording.

Why are my screenshots so large?

Screenshots of high-resolution screens are big images. Crop them to the part you need, or save as JPG rather than PNG if file size matters.

How do I take a screenshot on a phone?

It depends on the phone. Most iPhones and Android phones use a combination of the side or power button and a volume button pressed together; your phone maker’s help pages show the exact method.